Martin: Portrait of A Professional

Football is not glamorous. Football is debilitating toil. Occasionally, certain players become superstars. They transcend the profession. However, the majority are employees. They are staff. They commute, report, work, and exit. For this, they do not receive headlines. They simply receive another week.

On Thursday, New York Jets running back Curtis Martin retired. According to Martin, NFL ownership is next. “Ever since you have seen me as a player, I've been looking at myself as an owner," Martin said. “Most people see me as a low-profile player, and I've always seen myself as a high-profile owner. I believe I've gotten a chance to understand the game from the ground up. It's something that very few owners are able to do, simply because they're not privy to the intimacy of the locker rooms or the brotherhood of the players. I believe that I can bring something new, and something that I think could be better for the NFL overall."

During his career, Martin registered 3,518 carries, 14,101 yards, and 90 touchdowns. In New England, he tallied 985 carries for 3,799 yards and 32 touchdowns. In New York, Martin chalked 2,533 carries for 10,302 yards and 58 touchdowns. Amongst running backs, Martin concludes fourth.

Martin was not a Most Valuable Player. He was not a Super Bowl champion. Martin was a workman. He blocked, carried, dove, and scored. For this, he did not receive headlines. He simply accrued 168 weeks.